Heart of the Ocean
by Wandering Violinist
Summary: AU. Quinn is a mermaid who lures sailors to their deaths until she meets Rachel, a princess from another land, who hopes to show Quinn that humanity isn't as bad as she thinks it is.
1. The Mermaid

_Note: So I'm kind of back from hiatus... This fic is based on sketches of a mermaid!Quinn by tumblr user luckypressure. Eh, I don't have much else to say right now, so I hope you enjoy this first chapter! Comments are appreciated._

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><p>It was so easy, singing people to their deaths. The mermaid contemplated this—what her life had become after a short, unhappy series of events—as she rearranged the many jewels and valuables she salvaged from the shipwrecks her voice caused in the recent past.<p>

Her routine was simple, almost monotonous. First, she would search the ocean for signs of a ship's approach, and if one was on its way, she would position herself so that it would sail towards her and the rocky cliff face behind her. The days were usually foggy, and the ancient lighthouse at the top of the cliff was rarely used. It only seemed to serve as an ironic decoration. The mermaid's voice would float along in the fog, reaching the ears of the tired sailors. They would capture her voice in their minds, become fixated on it, and set a course for its origin. Before they could realize that they had made a poor decision, the ship would crash violently into the rocks, not before the mermaid swam to safety nearby, of course. After the crash, the mermaid would return from her hiding place and search the seawater for anything valuable. Jewels and the like had always interested her as a young mermaid, and even before this point in her life she had collected random pieces of shining jewelry that had floated into her domain. She would rarely give her attention to the humans, who were often dead or dying, and instead would swiftly take what she pleased and return to a cove nearby that she called home. After acting as a siren for some time, she had come to enjoy it somewhat; she believed she was carrying out acts of justice.

The mermaid had been alone for some time—her family suffered horribly in "accidents" involving humans, and the memories that haunted her were partly to blame for her murderous actions.

"_Quinn! Go far away from here! Save yourself!"_

The memory of her older sister's death crushed her every time it crept back into her thoughts. The mermaid abandoned her treasures as she sunk back into the salty water in the cove, clutching her head in agony. She remembered watching her sister tangled in that fishing net, and soon after her parents suffered a similar fate. The other merpeople that knew her and her family had offered their condolences and offered for Quinn to stay with them, but she refused, trying desperately to swim far away from them and the memories of her past.

This was her world now: killing the humans who killed her family. In her mind, Quinn was doing the right thing. She was getting revenge, and the jewels and treasures were just a bonus. She wondered sometimes if it was her destiny to lure sailors to their deaths and to be alone in her endeavors.

She rearranged her jewels again, looking them over quickly, and departed from the cove, hoping to find a ship on its way. As soon as she reached the rocky cliff, Quinn was in luck. She spotted a small, dark object in the distance—it had to be a ship. She positioned herself on one of the rocks and waited until the shadow came closer. The fog crept in, the waves lashed at the rocks, and Quinn began to sing. Her voice filled the air, reaching up to the ancient lighthouse, and out to the dark ship. It looked as if a storm were brewing, with choppy waves lapping at the ship's sides and winds whipping at the sails. But the voice of the mermaid gave the men fated to die aboard the ship at a false sense of ease. She continued to sing as the ship grew closer, and right when it looked as if it were going to run her down, Quinn ceased her singing and dove into the foamy water. She made it to her hiding place and the ship crashed violently into the cliff, sending bodies and pieces of wood into the air.

Some time passed, and the fog began to clear, exposing a late afternoon sun falling slowly in the sky. Quinn made her way from the hiding place and silently searched the nearby water. There were many bodies in the water, and the mermaid swam past them, not bothering to give them a second look. When she began luring sailors to the cliff face not long ago, Quinn's curiosity got the better of her and she had inspected a few of the dead bodies. She noted that they all had features similar to mermen—except for the tail. Most of them were rather hideous, and Quinn never regretted sending them to their deaths. As she collected a few treasures from her latest encounter, she wondered if all humans were as despicable as the ones who killed her family.

The mermaid carefully gathered up her new findings, took one last look at the wreckage she caused, and swam towards the cove, knowing that she was doomed to repeat the process the following day, and maybe forever. But for now, the treasures she amassed and the justice she thought she had carried out made it all bearable.


	2. The Princess

_Note: I'm glad to see that there is some interest in this story! I'm excited to continue writing it, and I'm having a fun time with my first foray into writing a fantasy-esque story. These first two chapters sort of set up Quinn and Rachel in the world of this story, and after this things will probably start to take off. I appreciate the comments I've received so far and more are always appreciated!_

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><p>"We will be reaching our destination shortly, milady. Then you may rest easy."<p>

A magnificent ship churned in uneasy waters and the only female onboard turned away from a small window she stood next to and carefully made her way back to a small, ornate chair by a table in the middle of the cabin. The girl sat up gracefully and glanced around the nearly empty space, letting her eyes linger on the man who stood by the doorway.

"Thank you, Will," the girl said with a frown. As much as her trusted bodyguard and friend attempted to console her, though, she would remain uneasy until they reached land. She was upset that her father, the king of a powerful kingdom, had essentially forced her to travel by ship so much when he and much of the kingdom knew of her uneasiness at sea. Perhaps this would be her last trip across the ocean. The girl could only hope.

After a moment of silent meditation, trying desperately to quell her persistent seasickness, the girl reached towards the table in front of her and picked up a letter that had been lying there. Unfolding it carefully, the girl bit her lip and read the letter she had received only about a week ago.

_Dearest Rachel,_

_I am so very honored to be your betrothed. Although it has been years since we last met—I believe we were both small children—I anxiously await your arrival. The castle has been preparing for your approach, and we shall welcome you as soon as you step foot in our glorious kingdom. As soon as you disembark, I shall give you a tour of the land to reacquaint you with your new home. In this way I hope that we will also become reacquainted with each other. _

_Forever yours,_

_Jesse_

He a prince and she a princess. To any other girl, this would seem like a dream come true. But for Rachel, an arranged marriage was not her dream. Although Rachel surmised from their correspondence that Jesse was a charming and good man, she did not find herself attracted to him in such a way that she wanted to be his wife. Their marriage was more or less to be carried out for the good of both kingdoms, not for the good of the children, and the idea of sitting in a castle as the wife of a future king was not something she liked to think about.

Rachel sighed and tossed the letter listlessly back onto the table. She closed her eyes as her seasickness attempted to return. Not long after her eyelids shut, a muffled, sweet voice drifted into the cabin from the outside.

"What is that enchanting melody?" Rachel's guard spoke as if awestruck, and with her eyes still closed she heard him carefully unlatch the lock on the wooden door. "Princess, I will only be gone a moment…" Rachel heard his footsteps fade and the voice become clearer and she continued to sit with her eyes closed, listening intently to the song. The voice was beautiful and low, and as it continued to resonate through the cabin Rachel became curious as to where exactly it was coming from. As far as she knew, she was the only woman aboard the ship. _Did the captain bring along a performer for entertainment?_

Rachel slowly opened her eyes and noticed that the door to her cabin was ajar. Carefully she made her way to it and stepped onto the deck of the ship. The whole crew had abandoned their posts and was staring straight ahead, as if entranced. The voice was louder here and the fog was thick, and Rachel walked slowly to each of the crewmen, attempting to wake at least one of them from their stupor. Even Will, her most trusted guard was unresponsive, and Rachel stamped her foot down in frustration.

_What is happening? _Rachel became afraid as the fog intensified and the singing became clearer. She felt that something was not right, but as she continued to listen to the voice, she began to feel her body relaxing. Maybe she was overreacting—perhaps there really wasn't anything to worry about.

And then the ship was ripped apart, and everything went black.


	3. The Spark

_Note: I don't have much to say at the moment, so maybe I shouldn't make a note here, but I do want to thank you all for reading and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!_

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><p>Quinn watched from her hiding place as the massive ship crashed into the cliff face and broke into jagged pieces. For a moment she turned her attention to the distant horizon and spied two more ships on the water. She squinted at them as the fog cleared somewhat—she couldn't tell exactly where they were headed, but she decided to let them go, since she had yet to collect her prize from the wreckage of the once formidable ship.<p>

Returning her gaze to the flotsam and jetsam, Quinn watched in amazement as one of the ship's passengers slowly emerged from the angry waves, pushing aside pieces of debris as he went. Quinn recalled a similar event that had occurred not long after she began her "destructive" habit in those waters. The ship that time was smaller, and there were fewer people onboard. The mermaid had been careless and swam close to the floating bodies to claim her treasure before making sure they were dead or otherwise unresponsive. A man had awoken and seen her, and in his panic, the man, although wounded, thrashed about until he made it to shore, subsequently running into the wooded area near the beach. The man must have perished on the way to civilization, because no one ever arrived to recover the bodies or search for the mermaid. The frothy waves had slowly taken the remains of the ship and its passengers away, and Quinn had learned that concealing herself and being patient were things she could afford to master.

After watching the battered man make his way past the trees in the distance, Quinn decided that she had waited long enough, that if she didn't move now she'd have to hide, forsaking the potential treasures lying in wait. She swam swiftly towards the rocks, inspecting the remaining bodies carefully for jewels and gold, taking whatever she could find. Quinn had only searched for a moment before finding a body that caught her attention, almost making her drop the small amount of shining objects she'd collected.

The long, dark hair was her first clue that this human was different from the others she'd killed. The mermaid carefully turned the body over and was shocked at what she saw. The human before her was the most beautiful one she'd ever seen. She was dressed in a pale pink robe and had a necklace with a seashell made of gold around her neck. As tempting as the gleaming necklace was, the last thing on Quinn's mind in that instant was taking it. She quickly pulled the lifeless girl to the nearby shore and placed her hand over the girl's mouth, feeling her shallow breathing. Quinn looked the girl over again, strangely relieved to find that she was still breathing.

"Please, don't die…" Quinn began to feel regret—something she hadn't felt in a long time. She glanced around at the wreckage behind them and wondered why she didn't feel guilty for harming anyone else on the ship. Why did she find this human so… special? It was as if the girl sparked something inside of the mermaid, something she couldn't describe, and something she hoped her growing curiosity could solve.

Quinn continued to inspect the girl, wondering where she'd come from and why she was aboard the ship. She must have been a very important person, judging from her appearance. Quinn returned her gaze to the few treasures she held in her hands and decided to quickly search the rest of the wreckage to find more while the girl remained unconscious. She searched the other bodies, not finding another that looked quite like the one onshore, and she returned to the cove, nimbly arranging her new findings among her older ones. She took great pride in her collection, hoping one day to show off her crowns, swords, necklaces, and other shining spoils. If there was one thing she would always have with her, it was her cherished collection.

The mermaid carefully made her way back to the shore and stopped by a large rock to the left of where she had pulled the survivor from the water. The girl was awake and she was gazing in horror at the wreckage in front of her. Quinn's curiosity got the better of her once again, and she carelessly swam slowly closer to the girl. She watched in wonder as the girl stood up weakly, and squeezed the excess water from her long hair. The girl took one more look around at the shore and stopped when her gaze fell on the mermaid.

"W-who are you?" the girl asked hoarsely. She stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Quinn flinched at first but did not flee as the girl stepped back into the water. "You weren't on the ship, were you…?" Quinn shook her head, not sure exactly what to say. The girl gazed in wonderment at Quinn and sunk down into the water so that they were face to face. She smiled at the mermaid, trying not to look at the wreckage all around them, and introduced herself, "I'm Rachel."

Quinn continued to stare at the girl in awe. Rachel was even more beautiful than the fairest mermaids from her home in oceans far away. Quinn wondered why she had been traveling on the ship that floated in pieces around them. Although Rachel was beautiful, Quinn was somewhat wary of her, like she was wary of all humans, but there was something about her that was different from the rest. That spark she felt inside her was still there, and for now she decided to listen to it.

"I-I'm Quinn," the mermaid said, never letting her gaze leave Rachel's face. Rachel smiled and placed her right hand against the large rock next to them.

"I was on my way to be married…" Rachel said quietly after a moment. "It is wholly against my will, but what choice do I have? It's for the good of both kingdoms, so…"

"You're a… princess?" Quinn asked timidly.

"Yes," Rachel replied, blushing slightly. "What about you? What are you doing out here? Are you from the kingdom of Ciel?"

Quinn shook her head. "I'm not from here. I have lived here for some time, but… I'm… well…" Her silver tail flashed in the sunlight, and Rachel gasped. Quinn gritted her teeth, worried by Rachel's reaction. To her relief, the princess looked even more amazed than a second ago.

"You're a mermaid! I never thought I'd get to see one in my life! My father used to tell me so many stories…" Rachel's smile quickly faded and was replaced by a look of realization. "Did you… cause this?" She looked at the wreckage once again and sniffed as her eyes began to brim with tears. Quinn felt a pang of guilt again as she watched Rachel's crestfallen expression.

"I'm so sorry…" Quinn began, "I did it because I—"

All of a sudden, shouting could be heard in the distance. The princess and the mermaid both looked in the direction of the voices, and as they saw a body materialize from the trees, Rachel turned back to Quinn and looked at her sadly. Quinn knew she had to flee this time—letting one human see her was more than she had planned—but before she left she pleaded with Rachel, "Please, don't tell anyone about me. If you can come back here in secret, I'll explain everything."

Rachel looked deeply into Quinn's eyes, as if searching for truth behind her words. As the shouting grew louder, Rachel nodded firmly and stood up as Quinn moved slowly behind the large rock nearby. "Of course. I'll come back as soon as I can." Quinn smiled gratefully and swam away, with the princess' image burned into her mind.


	4. The Prince

_Note: Sorry for the delay! Schoolwork caught up with me faster than I though it would... I might've gotten carried away with this chapter: I wanted to give Jesse a bit of a back-story, or at least give his point of view on things, because he is an important/supporting character. We'll get to see how Rachel is handling everything in the next chapter._

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><p>Sunlight streamed through a large window of a majestic castle, illuminating an ornate tapestry on the adjacent wall. A young man in regal clothing stood by the window, taking in a breath of fresh air while staring out at the castle town below. As he watched the ant-like people wandering about the town, he wondered what it must be like to live life outside of a castle, since he had been in one his whole life. As a child, he had never thought twice about their differences—he and his father's subjects—but now that he was somewhat older, he wanted desperately to learn about how the citizens lived, to interact with them, and perhaps make their lives a bit easier if he could.<p>

As the minutes continued to pass, the light of the sun was interrupted by a thin cloud, and the prince's thoughts shifted towards the arrival of his bride-to-be. Their engagement had been agreed upon by their fathers a few months prior, mainly as an act of strengthening the bond between the two kingdoms, not because the two were madly in love. While he was certainly eager to be reacquainted with the princess, and thought maybe he would fall in love with her this time—the prince feared that maybe she was not as thrilled. Things were changing more for her than for him—she would be living in a new land, with strangers whom she would have to get to know, so for the first few days at least, he realized that she might feel alone. The best he could do for her once she arrived would be to show her everything and introduce her to everyone, and he would, because after all, he'd promised her that much in his letters.

As the cloud passed by and the sun reigned again in the sky, the prince wondered if his betrothed could see the same sight, and he wondered what she thought of it. Did she see things the way he saw them? Did she wonder about things outside of royal life? He hoped that she at least shared his dreams of change and freedom, and that once married they could make some great difference in the kingdom together.

All of a sudden, the sound of hurried footsteps shook the prince from his thoughts and he turned around just as a castle guard approached. The guard entered the large, mostly empty space, bowed hurriedly, and spoke, "Your majesty, there is a visitor to see you."

The prince cocked his head and raised an eyebrow in confusion, sensing that something might not be quite right. "Who is it?"

"Milord, he says his name is William. According to him, he's the bodyguard for the princess Rachel."

The prince beamed. The time had finally arrived; this was the day that he would get to see his bride-to-be after so many years. He nodded eagerly, and the guard ushered in a disheveled, middle-aged man. He wore clothes that signified some royal rank, but they were torn and reddened by blood. The man bowed low in greeting to the prince and spoke urgently.

"Prince Jesse, I am William of the kingdom of Iubaris."

Jesse interrupted him, "You are Rachel's bodyguard. The princess is with you, yes?"

Will shook his head solemnly. "As of right now, I believe I am the only one here. We were traveling on course… almost to the port, when something strange happened. I seemed to lose all of my senses, and I can only assume the same happened to everyone else onboard. The next thing I knew, I was afloat in the water near that lighthouse not far from here. I searched the water briefly but there was no sign of the princess. I decided that the best course of action would be to come here and, if I may be so bold, request the immediate creation of a search party. I can lead us to the shore but we must go now." He paused a moment to collect himself. "We were traveling with two other ships… I am not positive but I imagine that they are safely on their way to the port… they were traveling behind our ship a ways."

Jesse addressed the guard, feeling many emotions at once but trying his hardest to remain calm. "Gather up a party of about ten other men. Prepare horses for us and we will depart shortly." The castle guard bowed sharply and ran off to do his duty. The prince turned his attention back to Rachel's guard and said, "You say you all lost your senses, yes? Do you know why? Can you try to remember what _exactly _happened?"

Will thought for a moment, trying to sift through his foggy memories. Then he spoke, almost inaudibly. "I heard a voice… someone was singing. But that's all I remember." Will shook his head, and looked up, as if recollecting more of the event. "There was fog… and everything went black after that."

"Strange… I wonder if Rachel was enchanted by the voice as well…" Jesse looked away as he thought briefly about the events Rachel's guard had described. An enchanting voice and an accident at sea… the only thing that came to Jesse's mind was a story his mother had told him when he was younger about the legendary merfolk. According to the tale, the merfolk lived in their own kingdoms deep under the sea, but there were those who defected, referred to by sailors and others as sirens. Those sirens would lure numerous men to their deaths for reasons unknown. Although Jesse's mother, the late Queen of the kingdom, had said the tale was a myth, Jesse didn't doubt the possibility of a siren or two existing on the fringes of the kingdom of Ciel. In fact, the more he contemplated their existence, the more curious Jesse became, however his most important objective was to find Rachel and to make sure she was unharmed. The prince's thoughts were interrupted as the castle guard returned to inform him and Will that preparations were complete. The search party set out immediately after, and they trudged resolutely through an open field leading to the woods.

The rays of the afternoon sun became obscured at intervals by heavy clouds continuously forming in the sky as the party carried on through the wooded area a ways from the impressive castle. Will led the way as the prince and others followed close behind, and the prince's thoughts turned back to Rachel. If she had been harmed, what would he do? All his life he had awaited his marriage day, unlike most boys who awaited the day when they could fight and hunt. Jesse was a more peaceful individual who only wished to find his true love and live in harmony within the kingdom and with its inhabitants, working to make it even greater than it already was. He realized that once he inherited his father's throne, he would be just as successful with his reforms on his own, but he didn't just want to change things, he wanted to find someone who shared his ideas, someone who could help him reach out to the more common people, and he had hoped for years that he would find that in his betrothed.

Jesse returned his attention to the matter at present in time for the party to reach the edge of the woodland. Will was the first to break past the shrubs and reach the shoreline, making his way to the girl stepping out of the shallow water. Jesse watched briefly from the edge of the woods as the princess and her guard reunited, and he swiftly dismounted from his horse and tied its reins to a tree, while the other party members followed suit.

Will's voice dueled with the sound of the waves hitting the nearby rocks, "Princess, I apologize for leaving you behind. I—"

"Will, please do not apologize. I am fine." Rachel looked at the wreckage briefly and returned her gaze to him, "It is truly unfortunate that so many men died… we must give them proper burials."

Jesse and the accompanying guards made their way over to the two survivors, and Jesse signaled for some of the men to enter the water and retrieve as many bodies as they could and pull them to the shore.

"Jesse…?" Rachel looked away from Will, brushing a strand of wet hair from her face, and focused her attention on the prince who smiled kindly at her.

"Princess," Jesse said with a slight bow, taking her hand and kissing it. "It is so good to finally see you after all these years. And to see that you are indeed safe is a relief."

Rachel nodded slightly and turned to look at the wreckage. "It truly is a miracle that I survived. And Will, too."

Jesse watched as Rachel continued to stare at the choppy waters, as if searching for something or someone there. She was the most beautiful young woman he'd ever seen, but her expression as she turned back in his direction was sad and a bit perplexed. Jesse decided that she was likely still upset from the accident, and that it would be best to return with her and the party to the castle. She could recover there, and everything could then continue as planned.

As the sun continued to descend, Jesse reached for Rachel's hand once again. "It is getting late, perhaps now would be a good time to return to the castle. Everyone is waiting for you. Tomorrow there will be a great feast to officially welcome you to our kingdom." He turned his attention to the guards who finished dragging what bodies they could to the shore. "Bury them now, if you can."

The men bowed and one of them answered, "Milord! It will be no trouble."

Jesse nodded and he, Rachel, and Will, along with an extra guard, departed from the shore. The guards that accompanied them to the shore knew the area well in light and darkness, so he did not doubt that they would return safely. The beach faded away as they journeyed back towards the castle, and Jesse found himself often glancing at Rachel, who was seated on Will's horse. She still looked deep in thought, but try as he might Jesse couldn't think of what had perplexed her so. He decided that now probably wasn't the time to ask, as curious as he was, and that once she had some rest, he would find out what was on her mind. As they continued onward, Jesse wondered how his father would react to the news of the accident. Perhaps it would be best to keep it a secret from him for as long as possible. If it truly was caused by a mermaid's song, his father would certainly be furious—the King was often unkind to the non-human creatures of the kingdom and its borders for reasons Jesse had yet to learn.


	5. The Defense

The colossal dark castle loomed overhead as the party returned from the shore. They entered the castle through an obscured doorway on its side, leaving their horses to be tended to by two of the castle guards stationed at the gate. Jesse led the way up a spiraling stone staircase to a series of rooms. Will and Rachel both glanced around, taking in their new surroundings. As the last rays of the sun receded past the horizon, torches alighted in the castle, their flames flickering off of the cold stone walls.

"We have rooms prepared for the both of you," Jesse said, escorting them to one of the rooms. "This is where you shall sleep, William. Rachel, your room is not far from here, just down the hall."

Will bowed and hesitated at the door as Jesse and Rachel began back down the hall. "Milady, I assume you are in safe hands with Prince Jesse. I will remain here for the night, unless you wish for me to accompany you both."

Rachel smiled softly, "You may stay. I will be just fine." She swallowed as they left, and Will wished them a good night as they departed. Rachel didn't know what to make of Jesse after meeting on the beach. He was extremely eager to see her, and now he seemed very happy. Was he like this all the time? Or was it just because of her? It was kind of him to give her so much attention, but her mind kept drifting back to earlier that day. The fog, the lighthouse, the shipwreck, and the mermaid flashed in front of her eyes; however the emotions accompanying those images were not of fear but wonder.

Rachel had always dreamed of meeting such a legendary creature, her imagination fed by the numerous stories told by her father when she was younger. Although, a mermaid wasn't the first thing she had expected to come into contact with in this new land. The ocean was something Rachel always tried to avoid, since her numerous travels by ship at a young age caused her much discomfort, which hadn't changed with time. As they reached the room in which Rachel was to stay, she turned her attention to the prince, who spread his arms and smiled.

"This will be your room, Rachel. I will send a maid in shortly to help you with whatever you may need."

"Th-thank you, Jesse," Rachel said, glancing around the dimly lit room. The two of them stood awkwardly within the room for a moment, both of them seeming to want to speak, but neither of them knowing exactly what to say or how to say it. Jesse stepped gingerly toward the doorway, clearing his throat. "Well, I shall call for the maid and let you get some rest. I have many things planned for us tomorrow."

"Wait, please," Rachel caught Jesse's arm before he could depart from the room. "What do you know about… mermaids?"

Jesse gave her a quizzical look. "What? May I ask why you are inquiring such a thing?"

"I'm simply curious…"

"Did you see one when you were by the shore, when we found you?"

Rachel shook her head slightly. "I just… remembered you mentioning something to Will about a siren having caused the wreck. My father told me many stories about mermaids when I was younger, and I know that they are known for their ability to sing sailors to their deaths. But that's not all their known for, is it?"

"I'm… afraid I don't know much about them," Jesse answered. "But I will do all that I can to learn more, in order to further investigate the cause of the wreck. Perhaps you can assist me."

Rachel nodded and Jesse cleared his throat. "Well then, I will leave you to your rest. Good night, princess."

"Good night," Rachel replied softly. After a moment of looking around the room, a maid entered and made sure Rachel had everything she needed, at least for the night.

The maid came and went, and Rachel was finally alone. As she settled into her new bed, the young princess found herself thinking about love. Her father had told her on many occasions that love was the most wonderful thing in the world, but also that it could be the most painful. He told her that love comes in many forms and is shared by many people in every kingdom and wild land. Rachel hoped that she would be able to find someone to share her love with someday, and as she began to correspond with Jesse after their marriage had been arranged, she wondered if maybe he was the one with whom she would share her love. Her meeting with him had made her doubtful; he was certainly kind, but the few interactions they'd had so far felt no different than her interactions with other people she knew in her homeland. Perhaps they just needed more time to be around each other and maybe they would learn to love each other, if love was something that could be learned.

Rachel tossed and turned in the unfamiliar bed and found her thoughts gravitating away from her fiancé towards the mermaid, Quinn. She had felt something when they met, something strange but wonderful welling up inside her. Even as she tried to sleep, when she thought of the mermaid, that same feeling was present. Was this what her father had told her so much about? Was this the beginning of some sort of love? Rachel couldn't be sure, but it was a feeling that gave her great joy. Feeling her eyelids growing heavy, the princess smiled and closed her eyes, deciding that it would be best to contemplate these things after a good night's rest.

The morning crept through the kingdom, illuminating the sleeping land and bringing its inhabitants into a new day. Rachel awoke, her room now lit by the rays of the sun. She changed into her nicest riding clothes and a maid, different from the previous night, subsequently entered, checking on the princess as a part of her duties about the castle. Rachel was quickly left alone again and as she waited for the prince to fetch her for whatever he had planned, she began to formulate her own plan. It was essential that she meet with the mermaid, Quinn, as soon as she could get away from the castle, but how would she be able to escape without attracting much attention? Suddenly, she remembered Jesse's words from the previous day. "I can leave after the feast tonight!" she said to herself. As if summoned by her thoughts, Jesse appeared in the open doorway and bowed.

"Good morning, Rachel. I hope you slept well."

Rachel cleared her throat and stood up to meet him. "Yes, thank you. What do you have planned for me today?"

A smile escaped Jesse's lips as he ushered the princess out of her room. "We're going to visit the castle town and the farms that provide our home with much of its supplies. If we have time before the feast when we return, perhaps we will visit the archives here. Does that suit you?"

"Of course. I just hope that I can leave the people with a good impression."

"I am quite confident that you will," Jesse said, escorting Rachel to one of the castle's many great halls. "We will begin our journey after we breakfast. The people have been waiting for you ever since they heard of our betrothal."

There was that word again. Betrothal, marriage… the very thing Rachel wanted to avoid thinking about raged in her mind once more as they prepared for their travels that day.

Shortly after their horses and provisions were prepared, the prince and princess, accompanied by Will and a castle guard, made their way to the town just outside of the castle's dark stone walls. Rachel looked around as the party entered the town's main square: there were numerous bazaars with all sorts of wares—ceramics, textiles, foods, toys—and many men, women, and children there to admire them. Once the royal presence was known, however, the subjects turned their attention to them, greeting them with bows and other gestures of respect. As Rachel smiled at the people before her, she instantly began comparing this town and its people to the towns of her home. She'd only properly visited a few of them, but she remembered them looking quite similar, and the people were certainly just as kind, however Rachel couldn't help but think that their behavior was due to her status as their princess-to-be. As she dismounted from her horse, Rachel hoped that with time she could acquire true bonds of trust with these good people.

"Princess!" A voice rang out among the crowd and a little girl pushed her way through the mass of people, making her way to the front. A woman, likely her mother, stood behind the girl, eyeing Rachel carefully. "I picked this flower for you," the girl continued, presenting Rachel with a small pink flower. Rachel knelt down and gently took the flower from the girl and held it to her breast.

"Thank you! This is a lovely flower. I will make sure to keep it safe."

The girl smiled and rushed back to her mother, burying her face in her mother's long skirt. The crowd welcomed them once again then began to dissipate, leaving Jesse and Rachel in the company of some of the older men and women of the town, who appeared to be in charge of some of the shops nearby. Rachel listened while Jesse conversed with the men and women about his desire for change. Rachel admired his willingness to work with his subjects in order to bring new prosperity to the kingdom, and she was in awe of his charisma which seemed to rub off on his subjects. He was destined for great things, she could see, but Rachel became more doubtful that she was to be alongside him in his endeavors.

An hour or so passed, and the party mounted their steeds and exited the castle town, Jesse leading the way to the nearest farmhouse. As they rode onward, Rachel felt uncertainty twisting up inside her. She wondered if it was wrong that while she was with Jesse, all she could think about was Quinn.

Night fell on the kingdom, and preparations for the feast celebrating the princess' arrival were nearly complete. Rachel sat at the foot of her bed as a few maids prepared her for the evening's festivities. She was dressed in an ornate, deep blue dress that had been created specifically for the event. Rachel reveled in it for a moment as the maids finished their work. They wordlessly departed from the room and shortly after, Jesse appeared in the open doorway to escort her.

"You look lovely," Jesse said as they walked to their destination.

"Thank you," Rachel replied simply, her mind fixated on her budding escape plan.

Loud, beautiful music filled every inch of the large castle, and guests made their way to the enormous hall in which the feast was to be held. Numerous musicians played in unison, standing in a corner of the hall, observed by some guests who had arrived early. As the others slowly took their seats, Rachel fidgeted nervously in hers, preparing to make her escape.

"Don't be nervous," Jesse said, placing his hand over hers. "My grandfather is quite kind. He will be overjoyed to finally meet you."

As soon as the prince spoke, trumpets echoed through the hall, and a large, regal looking figure appeared in the entryway. The king, a looming figure among those servants who escorted him into the hall, approached his seat at the long table. He was a wizened man, whose dark eyes glinted in the torchlight with a distant resentment. Rachel turned her own gaze away from the king to the empty plate before her. Whatever it was she saw in his eyes, she hoped it wasn't something that would affect her new life in the kingdom.

The king continued to stand behind his seat at the head of the long table and addressed his guests in a booming voice. "The marriage shall be held in a fortnight. That shall give our fair princess enough time to learn as much as she can about our kingdom and its lands. This will be a momentous occasion, and I have already sent messengers to King Leroy informing him of the coming festivities. Now, Princess, we welcome you to our kingdom. Let the feast begin!"

Music began to play as the diners passed around large plates of food and goblets filled with various kinds of drinks. Rachel made sure to try everything that caught her eye—the food here was beautifully presented, much like the food in her home, but these dishes had an air of mystery about them. She could feel the prince watching her, and she looked over slightly and smiled, arranging the greens and other foods on her plate as the musicians continued to entertain while the guests dined.

After everyone ate their fill, some musicians retired while others took their place, and storytellers, magicians, and other entertainers appeared for the next half of the celebration. They danced around the hall and performed for the guests who looked on in amazement. Jesse smiled approvingly and turned to Rachel. "The king always finds the greatest entertainers for these sorts of things. Are you enjoying the festivities?"

Rachel nodded slowly. "Yes, of course. These entertainers are quite something." She paused for a moment, thinking over the lie she was about to tell. "Jesse, would it be terribly rude of me if I retired to my room? I think all the excitement has gotten to me and I'm not feeling my best."

Jesse looked at her with concern, then quickly ushered a maid over to them. "That would not be rude at all, Rachel. You must still need to recover after the accident. I would escort you back but I must remain here with our guests. She will take care of you this evening, will that be suitable?" Jesse motioned towards a maid who approached them and bowed deeply in Rachel's direction.

Rachel nodded again and stood up. "Good night," she said as she left the hall. The maid walked with her through the torch-lit hallways to her room and Jesse watched as the darkness slowly engulfed them.

"Highness, what can I do for you?" The maid asked as they reached Rachel's dimly lit quarters.

"Just leave me here to rest," Rachel said. "Please, go on with the rest of your duties now. If you must, check on me in a few hours, but I will be asleep. All I need is some rest."

"Very well," the maid said with a bow. She closed the wooden door and left Rachel alone. The princess quietly reached for her clothing and fished around until she found her riding clothes. She changed quickly, put together a few provisions she had collected in her room, and considered her next move. She told the mermaid she would return to the beach, and this was her only chance to do just that. It would be dangerous, but if she could get a horse, she might be able to navigate through the woods to the shore with some ease.

Rachel reached the back entryway of the castle and found that it was unguarded, at least on the inside. She stepped outside and beheld a full moon in the sky. Her surroundings were illuminated more than she had imagined, but she wouldn't be sure of her path in the woods until she got there. Finding the stable nearby, Rachel found the horse she had rode earlier that day and saddled it as best as she could. Climbing up onto the saddle, she hoped that the beast would cooperate and grant her a safe journey to meet the mermaid. They set off from the castle, leaving the sounds of jubilee behind.

The moon had moved slightly in the sky when Rachel reached the shore. She dismounted from her horse and tied its reins to a nearby tree, patting its neck and thanking it for their safe journey. Then she quickly made her way to the shore, sand crunching beneath her riding boots. She sat atop a large rock by the water and looked out at the calm, constantly moving waves. There were very few remains left of the ship she'd traveled on, and Rachel wondered briefly where the debris might end up in the future. Would they reach distant lands, becoming artifacts upon uninhabited beaches? Or would they simply sink to the bottom of the sea, isolated and forgotten by time?

"You're here," a voice startled Rachel out of her thoughts. Turning towards the source, she saw the mermaid wading cautiously nearby. Moonlight glinted off of the end of her silvery tail, making it look almost jewel-like as it rose above the calm waves.

"Quinn… yes, I came back to hear you out."

"O-of course," Quinn's voice faltered. For a moment she foolishly thought that perhaps she could hear about Rachel instead of having to talk about herself. But she did promise to explain her actions, and perhaps if Rachel chose to forgive her, she would in turn talk about her life as a princess.

"I destroyed your ship because… I wanted to cause pain. The same sort of pain I felt years ago. I… used to live far away from here, in a kingdom under the sea. I was happy… until my family was killed by humans."

Rachel gasped sharply and averted her eyes to the calm waves lapping against the rock she sat on. She wondered how exactly Quinn's family perished, assuming it was caused in part by fishermen, but she decided not to ask just yet, perhaps Quinn would divulge that information as she continued to speak.

"I couldn't stay there after their deaths… it just wasn't the same, so I left soon after, hoping to leave my past behind. As I traveled far away from there, all that was on my mind was revenge. How could I harm those who harmed my family? Then I remembered something my mother said: 'Your voice is one of the most beautiful in the kingdom. If you so chose, you could sing men to their deaths. But there won't be any need for you to do that, because we're happy here, no need for any of us to go to the surface, right?'"

Quinn paused, feeling apprehensive about continuing. She locked eyes with Rachel, who looked back at her with a calm gaze.

"I traveled from place to place, never learning where exactly I was, not that it really mattered to me at the time. All that mattered was revenge. The ships crossed my path more often than I expected, and I managed to destroy many of them, so many that I didn't care to count. After some time, I found my way to this place. The lighthouse up there caught my attention, and I decided that this would be the perfect place to trick unsuspecting sailors and fishermen to their deaths. I have only seen the lighthouse work once since I've been here, and it doesn't appear that anyone will attempt to change that. It's as if that old lighthouse is a reminder of a more glorious past, a dead beacon no longer able to guide anyone or anything to safety."

Rachel's eyes filled with tears as she processed Quinn's story. A bitter mermaid, many innocent lives lost, and an unending desire for revenge for a past wrong. She wasn't sure exactly what to say or if it was even her place to say anything at all, but she cleared her throat and pressed a hand against her chest.

"I'm so sorry, Quinn. I truly had no idea you've suffered so much… But, if your revenge involves killing humans who travel the seas, why did you not kill me?"

Quinn was taken aback, not knowing how to answer the princess, mainly because she didn't know the answer herself. "I… don't know," she managed to say. "When I found you floating among the debris, I was just… struck by your… appearance. You're not like the others. I just couldn't harm you… in fact, I felt guilty for putting you in such a position—I still do—and I felt it only right to take you to the shore and make sure you were safe. I don't know why, but… I don't want you to die. You're… special."

Rachel looked into the mermaid's eyes, searching for some truth hidden behind them. Her eyes were pleading and confused, as if these feelings were something she could not control and perhaps even frightened her.

"Q-Quinn," Rachel stammered, unsure exactly how else to respond.

"That is a lovely flower," Quinn said, breaking the silence that surrounded them.

"…oh! That reminds me…" Rachel reached up and plucked the flower from behind her ear, presenting it to the mermaid. "I… would like you to have this. A child gave it to me this morning, while I was visiting the castle town. Everyone there was so lovely… they seemed so happy to see me, and so happy to call me their princess. They heard the prince's plans and they all pledged to work with him to achieve his goals of peace and prosperity within the kingdom. Oh, Quinn, I wish you could have seen it, how kind everyone was. You might say they were only acting that way because of who I am and who Prince Jesse is, and maybe you're right… but I want to believe they were truly happy and are truly kind people. Therefore, I wish to give you this flower as a symbol of their kindness, to show you that not all humans are consumed by hatred."

Quinn stared at the small flower in awe, raising her right hand to take it from the princess. She hesitated when her index finger and thumb pinched the flower's stem, and as she pulled away her other fingers slowly brushed across Rachel's left hand. She pressed the pink flower close to her chest and opened her mouth to speak, "I—"

But she was cut off before she could say what her heart had known since the day they met. In the distance, a cluster of voices and footsteps emerged from the woods, and the two turned their gazes toward the trees.

"Will we always be interrupted like this?" Rachel asked, turning back and smiling at the mermaid who looked up at the princess, smiling along with her.

Quinn stifled a laugh. "As long as you keep sneaking away to come back here, it's possible. You're a very important person; it seems no one wants to lose sight of you."

"Including you?"

Quinn sunk into the water, hiding the blush rising on her cheeks. "I-including me…"

Rachel smiled and whispered, "Well then, this isn't the last you've seen of me!" The princess stood up and rushed over to the guards before they could get any closer to the water's edge. Quinn watched as they carefully escorted her back towards the wooded area, their faces showing signs of relief at their safe discovery of the princess. She hoped the princess' words were true, that she hadn't seen the last of her, but the more she thought about it, the more fearful she became. Although she felt differently about Rachel, dark, bitter thoughts stormed in her head, telling her that no one would ever be worthy of her trust. But, as she swam away, Quinn wondered if perhaps the small flower she held to her chest was a symbol of a deep bond blooming between them.


End file.
